Using WRF for Regional Climate Modeling: An Emphasis on the Southeast U.S. for Future Air Quality Jared H. Bowden (UNC) Kevin D. Talgo (UNC) Tanya L. Spero (EPA) Christopher G. Nolte (EPA) Megan Mallard (UNC) CMAS Conference October 7,

Motivation North Atlantic Subtropical High (NASH) JGR, 2013 NCEP-DOE Reanalysis Position of NASH National Climate Assessment 2

Projected Shift in the NASH Li et al., JGR (2013) Probability of Occurrence of Ridge Type CMIP5 ENSEMBLE DRY WET Precipitation Rate (mm/day) Historical Future 3 NASH Location Year (JJA Average)

NASH Shift on Future Air Quality Mid-Century Westward shift impact on Air Quality – Stagnation Days (Horton et al – Nature Climate Change) Daily-mean 10-m wind speeds are < 3.2 m/s Daily-mean 500hPa wind speeds are < 13 m/s Daily-mean precipitation accumulation is < 1mm Use dynamical downscaling to assess regional change for the Southeast for change in maximum temperature and stagnation days Horton et al. (2014) – Occurrence and persistence of future atmospheric stagnation events, Nature Climate Change 4

WRF Simulations “towards the development of an ensemble” HistoricalRCP 4.5RCP 6.0RCP 8.5 CESM ( ) CESM ( ) CESM ( ) CESM ( ) ModelE2 ( ) ModelE2 ( ) CM3 ( ) CM3 ( ) 5

WEST (W) EAST (E) NEUTRAL (N) Westward Extent of the NASH JJA Average 850hPa Geopotential Height Dynamic Contribution Only CESM Climatology ( ) CESM One Future Year 6

CESM - NASH Westward Extent - JJA Decadal Average average average average RCP4.5 W – 58% years ( ) WEST of normal N – 13% years ( ) NEUTRAL E – 29% years ( ) EAST of normal RCP8.5 W – 51% N – 23% E – 26% RCP6.0 W – 65% N – 23% E – 13%

average average average W – 77% years ( ) WEST of normal N – 23% years ( ) NEUTRAL E – 0% years ( ) EAST of normal CM3 - NASH Westward Extent - JJA Decadal Average for RCP

CESM Change in Stagnation Days – JJA 45% NASH Years West 50% NASH Years West 90% NASH Years West 55% NASH Years West 50% NASH Years West 27% NASH Years West 50% NASH Years West 90% NASH Years West RCP4.5 RCP6.0 RCP % NASH Years West 9

CESM RCP (JJA) CESM RCP (JJA) Change in # Stagnation Days Change in # days with 10m Winds < 3.2 m/s Change in # days with 500 hPa Winds < 13 m/s Change in # days with Precip. < 1 mm Change in # Stagnation Days Change in # days with 10m Winds < 3.2 m/s Change in # days with 500 hPa Winds < 13 m/s Change in # days with Precip. < 1 mm 27% NASH WEST 90% NASH WEST 10

45% NASH Years West 80% NASH Years West 90% NASH Years West CM3-RCP8.5 Change in Stagnation Days – JJA

Change in # Stagnation Days Change in # days with 10m Winds < 3.2 m/s Change in # days with 500 hPa Winds < 13 m/s Change in # days with Precip. < 1 mm CM3 RCP (JJA) 90% NASH Years West 12

Conclusions NASH is projected to shift westward and seen in all ensemble members (despite decadal variability and scenario sensitivity). – By mid-century CESM and CM3 ensemble members show between 50% to 90% of the summer seasons will have an average position west of its climatological position. The impact of the westward shift in the NASH shift for stagnation reveals – Very large uncertainty regarding NASH location and stagnation days with respect to the GCM – Westward shift for CESM reveals a decrease in the number of stagnation days – Westward shift for CM3 reveals an increase in the number of stagnation days – The largest differences between CESM members and CM3 for stagnation is the projected change in the number of days with light winds. – All simulations tend to agree on favorable wind conditions aloft (lighter winds in the future) 13

Extra Material for maximum temperature in following slides 14

NASH position and projected maximum temperatures CESM RCP

NASH position and projected maximum temperatures CM3 RCP